Saturn and Other Worlds

In the book ‘The Great Second Advent Movement’ by J N Loughborough, Mrs Truesdail quotes Ellen White seeing a planet with seven moons and tall majestic beings.

Deuteronomy 29:29 The secret [things belong] unto the LORD our God: but those [things which are] revealed [belong] unto us and to our children for ever, that [we] may do all the words of this law.

1 Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 10 But God hath revealed [them] unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.

The “Opening Heavens”

In the previous year, April 19, 1845, the Illustrated London News had published something of great interest to astronomers from Lord Rosse, respected the wonderful discoveries he had made through his monster telescope, especially a view of what astronomers call “the gap in the sky.” One evening, at the conference above mentioned, at the house of Mr. Curtiss and in the presence of Elder Bates, who was yet undecided in regard to these manifestations, Mrs. White, while in vision, began to talk about the stars, giving a glowing description of rosy-tinted belts which she saw across the surface of some planet, and added, “I see four moons.” “Oh,” said Elder Bates, “she is viewing Jupiter!” Then having made motions as though traveling through space, she began giving a description of belts and rings in their ever-varying beauty, and said, “I see seven moons.” 7 Elder Bates exclaimed, “She is describing Saturn.” Next she said, “I see six moons,” and at once began a description of the “opening heavens,” with its glory, calling it an opening into a region more enlightened. Elder Bates said that her description far surpassed any account of the opening heavens he had ever read from any author. {1905 JNL, GSAM 258.1}

While she was talking and still in vision, he arose to his feet, and exclaimed, “O how I wish Lord John Rosse was here to-night!” Elder White inquired, “Who is Lord John Rosse?” “Oh,” said Elder Bates, “he is the great English astronomer. I wish he was here to hear that woman talk astronomy, and to hear that description of the ‘opening heavens.’ It is ahead of anything I ever read on the subject.” From that evening Elder Bates became fully satisfied that the visions of Mrs. White were outside of her knowledge and control. This and the character of the reproof and instruction given, satisfied him that they were from God. {1905 JNL, GSAM 258.2}

This phenomenon in the heavens thus described by Mrs. White in that vision, is a matter rarely mentioned by astronomical writers. Hugins, the first discoverer of it, gives the following description:- {1905 JNL, GSAM 259.1}

“By the time Elder Loughborough had written his book, ‘Rise and Progress of Seventh-day Adventists,’ another moon [of Saturn] had been discovered, and the publishers had the audacity to change her words to read, ‘I see eight moons.’ (See page 126 of that work.) This was in 1892. When Elder Loughborough revised this book in 1905, and issued it under another title [The Great Second Advent Movement], still more moons had been discovered to this planet, hence his admission.” Ellen White and her Critics page 585.

Tall, Majestic Inhabitants

Again we quote from Mrs. Truesdail, who was present on the occasion of the giving of the vision referred to. She says:- {1905 JNL, GSAM 260.3}

“Sister White was in very feeble health, and while prayers were offered in her behalf, the Spirit of God rested upon us. We soon noticed that she was insensible to earthly things. This was her first view of the planetary world. After counting aloud the moons of Jupiter, and soon after those of Saturn, she gave a beautiful description of the rings of the latter. She then said, ‘The inhabitants are a tall, majestic people, so unlike the inhabitants of earth. Sin has never entered here.’ It was evident from Brother Bates’s smiling face that his past doubts in regard to the source of her visions were fast leaving him. We all knew that Captain Bates was a great lover of astronomy, as he would often locate many of the heavenly bodies for our instruction. When Sister White replied to his questions, after the vision, saying that she had never studied or otherwise received knowledge in this direction, he was filled with joy and happiness. He praised God, and expressed his belief that this vision concerning the planets was given that he might never again doubt.” 9 {1905 JNL, GSAM 260.4}

The Pioneers and the Planets

GOD would have us study the plan of redemption in the light of the plan of creation. In studying the plan of redemption for fallen man in this planet, we should do it from the standpoint of the eternal purpose of God in the creation of the universe. Eph.3:11-21. But do we know that other worlds are inhabited? We know that heaven is inhabited, and that this earth is inhabited, and we cannot conceive of any object in creating planets unless it was that they should be inhabited by beings that would love and fear God. In Isa.45:18 we are told that this planet was not created in vain, but that it was made to be inhabited. If it had not been made to be inhabited it would have been created in vain. Then, if other planets were not made to be inhabited, they must have been created in vain. But God does nothing in vain, hence God made them to be inhabited. Turning to page 32, of “Early Writings,” we read as follows:- {January 31, 1893 N/A, GCDB 85.6}

But thanks to his name, his efforts are not failures, and he is fast hastening the glorious period when Satan shall be dethroned, and his mighty Conqueror shall reign most gloriously over the kingdom which he has redeemed to himself; and we again take our place with our sister planets, as undefiled as they, even though the purifying process be accomplished by fire. But as we survey these mysteries, the question naturally arises-why all these creations? We know God never works without a design, nor ever bestows his labor in vain, and it would be fallacy to suppose him to speak all these worlds into existence, bestow upon them light and heat, and suffer them to roll on through endless ages, for no other purpose than to fill immensity! Our earth is only third in size, and it would take 1,200 earths to make one Jupiter; while Neptune it still larger! And is it a reasonable supposition, that of all these noble creations our own narrow home is the only one that contains intelligent beings capable of realizing the magnitude of this work? Such a conclusion is not a reasonable one. These untold wonders were each and all created to promote the honor and glory of the great Architect, and to answer this end each must contain beings capable, not only of appreciating the great creative power of God, but also their own existence. But it has been argued that the nearness of some planets to the sun would cause the degree of heat to prove intolerable to its in habitants, while the remoteness of others would exclude them from sufficient light and heat to render them comfortable. The same power which created a world and peopled it, could adapt each to the other. {May 29, 1866 UrSe, ARSH 203.2}

It is an established fact that our atmosphere attracts the heat and reflects the light;-that if a person were raised above the influence of the atmosphere, with his back to the sun, all around would be blackness it self;-the rays of the sun would not reflect at all; while the effect of atmosphere as regards heat is ascertained by ascending high mountains, for the density of the atmosphere decreases as we ascend. Thus we see light and heat can be regulated by the lightness or density of the air. Saturn has her rings and moons to give the requisite amount of light, and heat also, doubtless, and others may be provided in some manner not yet discovered. And thus all fill their appointed positions in the great universal whole, like the various members of the human body, no one independent of the rest, or perfect without the support and co-operation of the whole. And as God and angels looked forth upon these stupendous creations, what wonder that they shouted, “Glory to God in the highest,” or that the morning stars caught the refrain, and sang together for joy. {May 29, 1866 UrSe, ARSH 203.3}

Reader, do you realize that this God is yours, your friend or destroyer, just as you choose to make him? Look forth upon these mighty creations, the work, as it were, of a moment; think of the mighty power which spake them into existence; compare it with your own puny strength, and as you value your eternal interests dare not that power till it shall fall in vengeance on you, but seek to make him your friend and all will be well. “Canst thou bind the sweet influences of the Pleiades; or loose the bands of Orion?” No more then canst thou comprehend the magnitude or the durability of God’s great creative power; or the hight or depth of his love. “Great is our Lord and of great power his understanding is infinite.” C. M. Willis. Charlotte, Mich. {May 29, 1866 UrSe, ARSH 203.4}

Have I not proved by the astronomer’s conclusive arguments, that this earthly ball which we inhabit is continually flying through the regions of unlimited space, in the same direction with all other planets, seen or known in the solar system? Think you that this little speck of earth is the only thing that is defiled, among the millions and myriads of worlds which stud the diadem of space? We are told that the “stars are not pure in his sight.” “Yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight.” Job 15:15; 25:5. Was not the sanctuary on earth which the high priest cleansed the tenth day of the seventh month every year, a pattern of the true? Does not Paul tell us that Jesus our high priest has entered into the true sanctuary, “into heaven itself. See Heb. 9:12,24; and 8:1,2. Then is not our high priest in the proper place to “cleanse the sanctuary?” I cannot for the life of me see, how the pattern or type can be made to appear in any other way. How then can the earth (as one in the voice of truth, and many other writers say) be the sanctuary; while spiritualizers are saying it is the saints. O Lord give us the truth! {1846 JB, BP1 29.2}

Ellen White

“The Lord has given me a view of other worlds. Wings were given me, and an angel attended me from the city to a place that was bright and glorious. The grass of the place was living green, and the birds there warbled a sweet song. The inhabitants of the place were of all sizes; they were noble, majestic, and lovely. They bore the express image of Jesus, and their countenances beamed with holy joy, expressive of the freedom and happiness of the place. I asked one of them why they were so much more lovely than those on the earth. The reply was, ‘We have lived in strict obedience to the commandments of God, and have not fallen by disobedience, like those on the earth.’ Then I saw two trees, one looked much like the tree of life in the city. The fruit of both looked beautiful; but of one they could not eat. They had power to eat of both, but were forbidden to eat of one. Then my attending angel said to me, ‘None in this place have tasted of the forbidden tree; but if they should eat, they would fall.’ {January 31, 1893 N/A, GCDB 85.7}

“Then I was taken to a world which had several moons. There I saw good old Enoch who had been translated. On his right arm he bore a glorious palm, and on each leaf was written ‘Victory.’ Around his head was a dazzling white wreath, and leaves on the wreath, and in the middle of each leaf was written, ‘Purity,’ and around the leaf were stones of various colors, that shone brighter than the stars, and cast a reflection upon the letters and magnified them. On the back part of his head was a bow that confined the wreath, and upon the bow was written ‘Holiness.’ Above the wreath was a lovely crown that shone brighter than the sun. I asked him if this was the place he was taken to from the earth. He said, ‘It is not; the city is my home, and I have come to visit this place.’ He moved about the place as if perfectly at home. I begged of my attending angel to let me remain in that place. I could not bear the thought of coming back to the dark world again. Then the angel said, You must go back, and if you are faithful, you, with the 144,000 shall have the privilege of visiting all the worlds and viewing the handiwork of God.” {January 31, 1893 N/A, GCDB 85.8}

It is only a little while before we shall have the privilege of travelling in the same manner as did Enoch to view the other worlds. {January 31, 1893 N/A, GCDB 85.9}

Saturn

Saturn has 62 confirmed natural satellites, but only SEVEN, Mimas, Enceladus, Tethys, Dione, Rhea, Titan and Iapetus have sufficient mass to have a spherical shape.

Mimas, is the innermost of Saturn’s major moons and with a diameter of 397 kilometers the seventh largest. Apparently, due to its proximity, it’s also responsible for clearing the material from the Cassini Division, a 4,800 km (2,980 mile) gap between Saturn’s A and B rings. [2]

The names of Saturn’s SEVEN major moons (all derived from Greek mythology) were suggested by John Herschel the son of William Herschel discoverer of Uranus.

Saturn has SEVEN major satellites, four small moons which exist in a trojan orbit with larger moons, two mutually co-orbital moons and two moons which act as shepherds of Saturn’s F Ring. Two other known regular satellites orbit within gaps in Saturn’s rings. The relatively large Hyperion is locked in a resonance with Titan. The remaining regular moons orbit near the outer edge of the A Ring, within G Ring and between the major moons Mimas and Enceladus. The regular satellites are traditionally named after Titans and Titanesses or other figures associated with the mythological Saturn.

The moons of Saturn are numerous and diverse, ranging from tiny moonlets less than 1 kilometer across, to the enormous Titan, which is larger than the planet Mercury. Saturn has 62 moons with confirmed orbits, 53 of which have names, and only 13 of which have diameters larger than 50 kilometers.[1][2][3] Saturn has SEVEN moons that are large enough to be ellipsoidal due to having planetary mass, as well as dense rings with complex orbital motions of their own. Particularly notable among Saturn’s moons are Titan, the second-largest moon in the Solar System, with a nitrogen-rich Earth-like atmosphere and a landscape including hydrocarbon lakes and dry river networks, and Enceladus, which emits jets of gas and dust and may harbor liquid water under its south pole region.

The dozens of icy moons orbiting Saturn vary drastically in shape, size, surface age and origin. Some of these worlds have hard, rough surfaces, while others are porous bodies coated in a fine blanket of icy particles. All have greater or smaller numbers of craters, and many have ridges and valleys. Some, like Dione and Tethys, show evidence of tectonic activity, where forces from within ripped apart their surfaces. Many, like Rhea and Tethys, appear to have formed billions of years ago, while others, like Janus and Epimetheus, could have originally been part of larger bodies that broke up. The study and comparison of these moons tells us a great deal about the history of the Saturn System and of the solar system at large.

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